Planning For 'Hygge' This Winter On Your Farm

The first cool breeze of fall is here, and that means everything’s coming up hygge. Hygge (pronounced ‘hyur-guh’) always makes a comeback as fall and winter approach. This Danish word loosely translates to ‘coziness’ or ‘wellness,’ and is particularly important during dark and dreary winter months.

Winter is quickly approaching, and that means it’s high time to add some hygge to your homestead. Use these fun suggestions to add a little fun, warmth, and self-care to your homestead.

A Roaring Fire

Nothing says ‘cozy’ more than a fire. Ideally you’ve been chopping firewood since the spring months, but if you’re behind, never fear. See if you can barter with neighbors to build your firewood stores. You can always purchase firewood, too.

Thick Blankets

There’s nothing quite like cozying up under a fluffy blanket with a good book. Knit or crochet your own homemade blankets for ultimate hygge. Bonus points if you make the blanket from homestead fleece!

Burn Candles

Winter is the perfect time to turn down the lights and break out the candles. If you raise bees, whip that leftover beeswax into soothing homemade beeswax candles. Adorn them with dried herbs for a delicate scent and added comfort.

Bake!

Nothing is more comforting than a big batch of homemade cookies. Use eggs, milk, or honey from the homestead to bake delectable treats to keep you warm all winter. Tasty baked goods from the homestead also make fantastic gifts!

Homestead Potluck Parties

Hygge isn’t just about holing up in your house under a blanket. It’s about fostering a sense of community, too. Invite a few other homesteaders to a homesteading potluck party. Ask everyone to bring a food, game, or self-care item made with homestead materials. You’ll learn a few things and have a great time trading with each other!

The Bottom Line

Who says winter has to be dreary? Arm yourself with coziness to enjoy life on the homestead, no matter the weather.

Oh, we are all about…

Make Your Winters Warm

Winter’s set in and it’s time to start thinking once again about the best methods of staying warm. No one likes to be shivering for months on end. In your own home you can only do so much to turn the heat up. What, then, are some simple solutions? What about when you want to go outside or need to take a trip into town?

The first solution is fairly simple: a warm, fuzzy sweater can help to take the bite out of the winter’s chill. Wearing wool or polyester is much more likely to keep you toasty than cotton! Dark colors are not only fashionable, they help to keep you warm as well. Heat isn’t reflected off of your clothing as much if it is dark.

Jeans are also something to consider giving up during the winter months. Try wearing a fashionable pair of slim black corduroys or even some thin wool slacks. The denim material that blue jeans are made from does little to protect against chilly weather.

Heat escapes your body very quickly through your ears so while you’re on the subject of dress it’s important to make sure you’ve got your head covered. There are plenty of different styles of hats on the market to choose from, but some are easily more warm than others. Try not to choose anything made from cotton, as mentioned above (hats to stay away from include most brimmed caps.) Wool hats are excellent but can be a bit scratchy so make sure it’s comfortable before you purchase it.

The last steps in making sure you’re dressed for any outing you may desire in the winter months are a pair of warm, comfortable boots and a heavy over-coat. Boots should not be made of rubber as these tend to be stiff and cool easily. Look for something with a thick soul that reaches midway up your shin, in case there is deep snow. As for a coat, black wool long-coats are always in fashion!

Now you’re dressing the part. Next there are some things to keep in mind for driving. If your car is not kept in a garage, you can always go outside and start the heater warming about ten minutes before you actually plan to leave. This way the car will be warmed up for you when you are ready to go. However, if you keep your car in a garage it is not safe to leave it running since the exhaust fumes that are released while it is running are toxic.

You can also heat a rice-bag before you leave and put it in your lap or behind your back while you drive to help stem off the cold.

Finally, after going out in the icy, windy cold it is time to relax at home. A wool blanket, a mug of hot cocoa or piping-hot coffee and a rice-bag to boot is a wonderful way to recover from the cold.

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